Genomic signatures associated with convergent funnel‐web building behavior in spiders

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Abstract Spiders exhibit diverse and intricate web‐building behaviors, which represent a classic model for studying the evolution of complex traits. Funnel‐web architectures occur in several distantly related spider lineages, including Agelenidae and Macrothelidae, suggesting possible convergent evolution of funnel‐web‐associated traits. This repeated emergence provides an example of convergent funnel‐web building behavior. Here, we generated a chromosome‐level genome assembly for the agelenid spider Tamgrinia laticeps . Using comparative genomic analyses across 15 spider species with diverse web types, we identified genomic patterns potentially associated with funnel‐web‐associated behaviors. Numerous genes exhibited convergent shifts in selective pressure, signals of positive selection, or convergent amino acid substitutions. These candidate genes were enriched in functions related to synaptic transmission (e.g., Gabbr1 , Crtc1 ), neural development and neuroregulation (e.g., Rfx2 , E(z)), and sensory‐motor control (e.g., PKD2 , ADORA2A ). In addition, convergent amino acid substitutions were detected in several neural and motor‐related genes (e.g., VAChT , ine) , which exhibited shared substitutions across all three funnel‐web building species. This study provides new insights into the genomic basis of behavioral convergence in spiders.

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